Whew! I finished this one just in time! A quick project, really, I think I completed it in around an hour, which was nice to have it done so quickly. I really like this little (not really as little as I thought it would be) coin purse, it is big enough to hold lipstick, coins, credit cards, a compact...quite a bit of stuff! It really was a easy project, so once again, I'm not really sure why this is supposed to be a "harder" pattern? As with many of Amy Butler's projects, I find the hardest part to be applying all that darn interfacing!

Only a few things I did differently than what the pattern called for. The first, the zipper, I used my normal method of applying a zipper, it worked like a charm, and I'm not sure why anyone would use the method Amy Butler suggests. The second was a flat out mistake. See that little tab to the side and top....yeah, that isn't supposed to be right there. I totally didn't pay attention to the directions, and just assumed it went there, sewed it up and then noticed, no it wasn't supposed to go there. Oh well, it looks fine, and now mine is completely "unique!"

I see myself making more of these in the future, but the only thing I would do differently is to not use most of the interfacing that the pattern calls for, the darn little pouch is just too stiff. I would use the interfacing for the top bands and that is it, I would eliminate the interfacing that is on the bottom sections. A "softer" pouch would have been nice. I also would eliminate the inside pocket/divider, it is absolutely pointless and honestly just takes up space. I don't have a photo of the inside of mine, but if I did you would see a hot mess of unnecessary bulkiness!

I also finished my Teardrop Bag, but will wait to share it sometime next week, and keep an eye out for a giveaway and an announcement sometime soon too!

A little over two weeks ago, I awoke one Saturday morning to find a very exciting email in my inbox. It was from the wonderful Katie over at Katie's Korner informing me that I had won her Accuquilt Go! Baby giveaway and would be receiving one with my choice of three dies! I literally was bursting from the inside! I couldn't believe that I actually had won one of these babies! I had been entering these giveaways for quite some time, but never thought I would actually win one! The best part? Accuquilt shipped this baby to me so quickly. I sent my information to Katie on Saturday and literally had this Go! Baby in my hands by the following Friday. Not even a full week!

I had my choice of three dies, which actually was really really hard to pick, since Accuquilt has around 58 available for the Go! Baby. In the end and lots of lots of reading, I picked the Circles, Drunkard's Path and 2.5" Continuous Strips. I can not wait to make binding with the 2.5" strip one! I ended up picking both the circles and drunkard's path because I knew that cutting both of these things out by hand are a pain (especially the circles) and having a die to do it, would make them so precise!

My son also felt like he had won the jackpot, as soon as I brought the box inside the house he started screaming "treasures, treasures!" As soon as the tape was ripped from the box, he discovered his own little present, a box full of those air pocket balloons, which resulted in hours of popping and so much cheap entertainment for a three year old. It is amazing the things that thrill us all, young and old!

Thank you again, Katie at Katie's Korner and Accuquilt for hosting these giveaways that real people actually do win! Be sure to stop over at Katie's blog and show her some love! Stay tuned during the next few weeks to see the things I make with my new Go! Baby. I can't wait to get creating!

I don't know about you, but I've had quite the productive week! I am finally caught up on all my bee blocks! Yippee! All my Kaleidoscope blocks are sewn up, and I have parted ways with a huge box of fabrics for trading!

Bek [dreamfctry} ended up in two of my bees, she had July in both, and chose paper piecing in both bees. The top photo is a design from Quilter's Cache, and the bottom two blocks are of her own design, so cool! This was my first time paper piecing, and after getting the hang of it, I think I love it. These are the most precise blocks I have made yet! Don't get me wrong, I love paper piecing, but good gosh it is time consuming. Way more than I would have ever thought.

I finished packing up my box of swap fabrics for the Stashtacular! Swap, and have sent them off! It feels good to clear out some fabric I know I won't use!

As of last night, I finished up all 30 of the blocks for my Kaleidoscope Quilt. All I have to do is sew the top together! I was pleasantly surprised at how well my points matched up (not perfect, but good enough for me!) and how flat they actually did lay. Can't wait to see what this quilt top looks like all sewn together!

I added a few more projects to my ever growing list, and have come to the realization that I will never be "finished" with my works in progress. Oh well, I'm OK with that. Well folks, that about wraps up my week. How was yours?

I had such a good time with the first round of the Pretty {little} Pouch Swap, I had to sign up for round two! Below is the inspiration mosaic I created for my partner in hopes of steering her in the direction of things that I like. I love all of the pouches below, so pretty, creative and rainbow filled! I still have yet to decide on fabric for my partner's pouch, though I have decided on what I will be making, I'm just temporarily stuck for the moment. I better hurry up though, this round ships by August 8! Oh my!

Wow, it is already July! Where do the months go? This months bag is a small coin purse/key keeper. I'm excited to make this little project, who doesn't need a little bag that fits inside their purse! The size seems just right too!

Amy Butler's Style Stitches Key Keeper Coin Purse

I'll be using scraps of fabric for this little coin purse, and honestly I don't know much about the fabrics other than the lower right hand corner one is a Jenean Morrison Californian Dreamin print, which will be the main body of the coin purse. The small pink polka dots will be the accent fabric, and the hot pink to the left will be my interior fabric (which my best guess is an Art Gallery print.) I'm thinking this project will go together really quickly, which will be nice for a change!

I know what you are thinking. Wait? Did I miss last month's bag? Well, you didn't miss it, I did. The month sped by so quickly I didn't get time to finish it up. So, in theory I will finish both last month's and this month's bag and post pictures of both!

Hello everybody! Did anyone miss me on WIP Wednesday? I've been absent for about a month now! Oh goodness! I wish I could say that it has been a super productive month, but alas, from vacations and summer activities, the work just hasn't happened. Oh well.

I spent about a week getting bundles of fabric together to mail to two of my online Quilting Bees (this process took WAY longer than I ever thought it would!) They are mailed out, and I am slowly getting blocks back in the mail. It is so neat to see what others will create for you!

I finished some Bee Blocks for others, one early, and one super late. The first one for CNSnow was the early one, a fun improv block that whipped up so quickly and is a LARGE block measuring in at 16.5" x 16.5"! The second set for prsd4tim2 will be what I consider a bee fail on my part. This has nothing to do with construction, the construction of the blocks is fine, but rather my dissatisfaction with trying to translate what was in my head to fabric! Oh and the fact that I sent these blocks about 2 weeks late....boo! on my part, and I am sorry about that. The first block, though cute reminds me of Smurf houses, with a huge off-scale snowman who apparently is the evil over-lord in the village. A bit creepier than I intended. The second block was supposed to be a simple house highlighted by two candy cane columns, but instead just appears to be a Chinese Food Restaurant, and don't even lie to me, you know it looks like that. All it needs is a sign that says "Golden Wok." I just hope she doesn't hate them!

No real finishes, though I have made quite some progress in my fabric organization, and can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel! My one new project is the Kaleidoscope Quilt-Along hosted by Don't Call Me Betsy. All my pieces are cut, all my hst are sewn on, and the real piecing has started. I actually put together two blocks last night and was pleasantly surprised at how flat they laid, and miraculously the inside points lined up pretty darn good, if I do say so myself! Pictures to come at a later point!

Well folks, that about sums it up! Here is to a productive and new crafty week!

It was actually really fun to go through my fabric stash and pull out fabrics to swap, liberating to give up some stuff, and I think I pulled quite a pile! I have a boy pile, a girl pile, a random pile, a Christmas pile, and a jungle pile of fabrics. I sure hope my swap mates can use some of this stuff! Stashtacular! officially kicked off yesterday, with lots of tutorials, giveaways and a fabric swap, hence the reason I pulled out all this fabric! It isn't too late to join in...

I hadn't forgotten about this quilt along, life has just been a tad bit hectic lately! I bought this bundle from Pink Castle Fabrics, this bundle was actually intended for another quilt along, but once I saw all the lovely purples, I just couldn't resist and thought it would be perfect for the Kaleidoscope Quilt Along. This bundle came with two yellows, that I ended up removing, and instead added in a few fat quarters from the lovely line, The Blue Skies by Sharon Holland Designs, which I felt blended in perfectly. I will be using the light gray solid as the background print, and can't wait to get to cutting!

What is this problem, you ask? I have a weakness for fabric, I love it all, the colors, designs, texture, oh the creative possibilities. The problem is....I own WAY to much of it, it is overflowing, and stuck in every nook and cranny in my house, it is an addiction and a problem and it has to stop now! What is the solution? Easy, I joined Stashtacular! This great group was created by three lovely blog ladies, Blue Bird Sews, Spontaneous Threads, and Sew Happy Geek. This is a two part group, the first being that you agree to NOT PURCHASE any fabric for the month of July, OK, DONE. The second part involves a fabric swap, give up some of your stash and get new stuff in return, cool, right? Actually there is a third part to this group also, these three lovely blogs will be posting tons of new tutorials, and if you make any of the items from their tutorials, then you have a chance to win some awesome prizes. I thought this would be the perfect group for me to cut back on fabric purchases, meet some new bloggy friends and use up some of my stash! Win, win! It's not to late to join in!

On a side note, I thought I would share a little "sneak peak" of a brand spanking new, still kinda smells like paint, piece of furniture to join my home as of last night! My husband has been diligently constructing this piece for quite some time now, and I am happy to say that it is now finished and sits happily in my living room. What is this piece of furniture you ask? Well, my hint for you guys sits on the shelf, and just might help me with my fabric problems!